Freight-car door.



J. MAPES.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I LMAPES.

FREIGHT [CAR DOOR. "APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1915.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

\ snares PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN warns, or ALEDO, rumors, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 ZALES s'. MOGINNIS, or

ALEDO, innmois.

FREIGHT-can noon.

m Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed October 18, 1915 Serial Ito. 55,680.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JoHN MAPES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aledo, in the county of Mercer and State of 1111- nois,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Freight-Car Doors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has relation to sliding doors and more particularly to the type of closures designed for freight cars, the purpose being to insure a close fit and thereby prevent any rain or snow from getting into the car from the rear or between the door.

The invention is designed most especially for car doors mounted to slide and to move toward and away from the side of the car, the object being to close any space that may exist between a side of the car and the door. The invention consists of a wing or leaf hinged to a vertical edge of the door and slidable with the latter, such leaf be ng adapted to swing into close engagement with the side ofthe car having the opening to be closed by means of the door, such wing being connected with the door operatmg means to be swung outward preliminary to sliding the same for uncovering the opening.

While the invention is intended for slidingcar doors generally it is adapted more I particularly for the type of car door having a sliding frame and a door mounted in such frame and movable toward and froni 'the side of the car; the wing or leaf being hinged to the said' frame and connected with the door operating means to be actuated simultaneously therewith.

With these and other objects inview, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed. A

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a Simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that nolimitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications' within .the scope of the invention as claimed may be resorted to when desired.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe side of a freight car provided with a door embodyactuated thereby when the door is the door is in contact with the side of. the

car, the wing or leaf being swung inward; Fig. 3 1s a sectional view showing the relation of the parts when the door is moved outward and the wing or leaf is swung away from the side of the car; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. l lookin'g in the direction of the arrows showing the w ng or leaf swung outward; Fig. 5 is a deta1l perspective view of the wing or leaf.

orrespondmg and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

4 which is mounted to'slide only. A strip I 6 is secured to a side of the car and con- 'st1tutes a stop to limit the movement of the door frame 4 when the same is slid into position opposite the door opening 2. The door frame 4 is mounted upon a track 7 which is arranged above the door opening and extends horizontally. The lower portion of the door frame is engaged by means of clips 8 which hold it in place and assist materially in directing the door in its slidmg movements. A strip 9 is secured to the side of the car opposite the door opening provided with the stop strip 6 and this strip 9 engages the door when swung inward against the side of the car, thereby preventing movement ofthe door in a direction away from the stop strip 6. The door frame 4 is preferably constructed of metal and,-as stated hereinbefore, is adapted to have a sliding movement only imparted thereto. The door 3 is hinged at its lower end to the lower horizontal member of the door frame 4 and is movable at its upper end toward and away from the side of the car. When the door'3is swung inward it engages behind the inner vertical edge of the is swung outward it clears the stop strip 9, as indicated in Fig. 3, thereby permitting the door to be moved to open position by being slid to the right. Any suitable means may be employed for swinging the upper portion of the door3 in stop strip 9 but when the door 3 or out. The means 119 shown form the subject-1natter of a patent granted to me March 16, 1915', No. 1,132,202, and briefly stated consist of vertical shafts 10 and 11 eachhaving a crank which is con nected to an operating lever 12 by means of links 13. The shafts 10 and 11 are mounted upon the upper portion of the door and are formed with toothed. port ons 14 which are adapted to engage the sine members of the door frame 4 near their upper ends so as to cause a swinging movement of the door either inward or outward according to the direction of movement of the lever 12-.

In accordance with the present invention a wing or leaf 15 is hinged along one vertical edge to a vertical edge of the door frame 4, such wing extending approximately the fulllength of the door frame and adapted to swing so as to bring its free vertical edge in close. contact with the side of the car, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. Springs 16 secured to the door frame exert a. lateral pressure upon the wing 15 to hold the same in close contact with the side of the car. A link 17 connects the operating lever 12 with the wing 15 and movement of the lever 12 to swing theupper end of the door 8 outward also serves to swing the free edge of the wing 15 away from the side of the car against the tension of the springs 16, asindicatcd most clearly in Fi 8. ()n reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that a tapering space 18 exists between the door frame at and the side of the car, this being due to the normal position of the door frame to enable it to clear the stop strip 9. It will thus be understood that the distance between the upper portion of the door frame and the side of the car is greatest at the uppcr end of the door franic and that such distance decreases toward the lower end of the door frame which latter comes close against the side of the car, as indicated in Fig. 4i. It is not desirable to have the stop strip 9 extend downward so as to close the space 18, hence the provision of the wing 1:). The wing 15 tapers in width being widest at its upper end d) conform: to the varying distance of the door frame from the side of the car. In ordor that the free vertical edge of the wing 1:) may not offer an abrupt shoulder when taneously with the door.

closed against the side of the car, such wing is made tapering in thickness, the hinged edge of the wing being thicker than the free swinging edge. hen the door 3 is closed,

as indicated in Fig. 2, the wing 15 is also the car. The space between the opposite vertical edge of the door and the side of the car is closed'by means of the wing or leaf 15 in. the manner stated.

Strips 19 are attached to the inner face of the door near its vertical edges and assist materially in securing close joints between the door and theframe e; and side of the car.

*laving thus described the inveiition,\\'l1at is claimed as new is 1" 1 1. Incombination, a sliding door frame, a door hinged to the door frame, a wing hinged to an edge of the door frame and adapted to swing toward and from the plane of movement of the door frame, and operating means between the door, wing and door frame to effect a simultaneous movement of the door and wing,

The combination of a sliding door frame, a door hinged at its lower end to the door frame, means at the upper end of the door engaging the door frame to effect movement of the door to ard and from the plane of movement of the frame, a wing hinged to an edge of the frame to swing toward and from the plane of movement of the same, a lever fulcrumed upon the door and controllingthe means at the upper end of the same for effecting movement of the door, and a link connecting said lever with the wing whereby the wing will move simul- In testimony whereof, I my signatare.

JOHN MAPES. [L. a]

hen the 

